


Fake Dating For Gracie

by KatieComma



Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: Clothes Sharing, Danny Is An Idiot, Fake Dating, Fake Relationship, First Kiss, Idiots in Love, Kono and Chin Betting on Relationship Status, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-01
Updated: 2020-03-01
Packaged: 2021-02-28 08:34:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 12,039
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22967020
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KatieComma/pseuds/KatieComma
Summary: Grace tells Danny that she's so happy he and Uncle Steve are dating.Danny doesn't have the heart to tell her it's not true.Things spiral out of his control.
Relationships: Steve McGarrett/Danny "Danno" Williams
Comments: 48
Kudos: 517





	1. The Defences Are Down

**Author's Note:**

> I should note: I kinda set this near the beginning of season 2.
> 
> And also: EPIC thanks to Orianess - without you this wouldn't exist right now. It would still be bits and pieces lying on the floor. Thank you for the inspiration sister darling.

“Wait… Gracie… wait… what?” Danny stumbled over the words, unsure exactly what he’d just heard, or how to respond to it.

“I said,” she drew the word out in an exaggerated fashion showing her frustration that Danno hadn’t been listening to the very important thing she’d said, “that I’m so glad you started dating Uncle Steve. Cause you’re so much happier now than you were before.”

Danny was so glad they were alone. So glad that Steve had gone inside the house to dig up some of the junk food he kept stashed away just for Gracie.

“Monkey,” Danny pitched his voice low so it wouldn’t carry through the open door and into the house. “What makes you think me and Uncle Steve are dating?”

Gracie continued to play in the sand as though they were having the world’s most normal conversation. “Cause you are,” she said simply, as though no explanation was required. “And it’s great. I love Uncle Steve. And now that you’re dating it means he’s going to stick around, right?” She looked up, and those big brown eyes stopped Danny in his tracks; one of the few things that could make him stop talking.

“Alright Gracie,” Steve’s voice preceded him onto the lanai along with the sound of crinkling bags. “We’ve got some Li Hing Sour Watermelons.” He paused to turn the other bag and read the front. “Or some Li Hing Mangoes. Pick your poison little lady.”

“Mangoes!” Gracie piped up from the sand, knocking over one of the little towers she’d built. She didn’t care, she only had eyes for Uncle Steve.

“Excellent choice madam,” Steve said, plopping down next to her in the sand and tearing one of the bags open.

Danny watched, completely baffled at how Steve _Super SEAL_ McGarrett had worked his way into Gracie’s heart, and vice versa.

Steve held the open bag out to Grace, who pulled a few candies from it before Steve grabbed a couple for himself. Steve, who was always conscious of what went into his body and wouldn’t even eat one malasada, was eating candy with Gracie.

“What happened here?” Steve’s voice was all mock-horror as he looked at Gracie’s sandcastle. He casually passed the bags of candy to Danny.

Danny sighed and took the bags. As the only one not about to dig in the sand, he had the best chance of keeping dirt out of the food. He tore open the sour watermelons and plopped one into his mouth before sagging back in his chair to enjoy the Gracie and Uncle Steve show.

“What do you mean 'what happened?'” Grace asked, looking down at her castle; one of the towers had toppled and turning back to regular old sand.

“Your defences Gracie, I leave for five minutes and the east wall is completely indefensible.”

“It doesn’t need to be defensible Uncle Steve,” she stumbled a little on the large word, but pushed through. Smart little monkey.

“That’s the whole point of a castle Gracie,” Steve settled in, gathering sand into a tower mold and pressing it in firm.

“Not this castle. The point of _this_ castle is to host balls and parties for the Princess,” Grace argued.

Steve scoffed. “A good castle should be able to do both.”

“There’s not going to be any fighting at my castle,” Grace said sternly, crossing her arms.

“Any good princess should be prepared to fight,” Steve said, carefully placing the full mold at the corner of the eastern wall of the little sand castle. “Think about all the fairytales,” Steve was on a roll now. “All the princesses in all the fairytales always get in trouble right? Cause people are jealous of them for some reason or another. So they’re always getting into hot water.”

“Well...” Grace was being swayed.

Steve grinned at Grace as he carefully pulled the mold off. “Maybe if they’d had a defensible east wall, some of them would have ended up better off. Happily ever after a little sooner.”

“Ok, ok, Uncle Steve,” she finally gave in, grabbing another tower mold. “Let’s build up the defences. But this tower’s going to have a ballroom in it too!”

“As it should,” Steve said seriously.

“You told her what?” Steve asked. His face had gone from the blissful happiness that a day with Grace brought over him, to anger and frustration in a heartbeat.

“Well, listen, I didn’t put the idea in her head,” Danny defended. “She came out with it all on her own.”

Steve shifted his weight on the little beach and looked out to the sun setting on the ocean. “Why didn’t you just, I don’t know, tell her she was wrong?” He asked, still not looking at Danny. Something hung in the air between them, and it wasn’t quite anger, more like apprehension.

“You know what Steven? I don’t particularly know, ok? Is that what you wanted to hear?” All the fight went out of Danny in an instant, and he sagged into one of the chairs that almost toppled on the uneven sand. “She was so sure Steve. She likes you a lot, you know? And she was just… people come in and out of her life. And I didn’t want to take something away from her. Something that she was absolutely 100% convinced was the truth. I couldn’t do that Steve, don’t you see that?”

“So when then Danny?” Steve finally turned back toward him. “What do you want to do?”

“Just give me a few days to work that out,” Danny said.

“And what? Until then we’re a happy couple for Grace?” Steve scoffed and hung his head.

“I mean…”


	2. Fifty Bucks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Danny brings Grace into the office Friday afternoon.
> 
> Kono and Chin find out about the dating "situation."

Danny walked into Five-0 HQ on the following Friday afternoon carrying a purple backpack covered in sparkly stars.

The security guard at the front eyed the bag with raised eyebrows until he saw Grace trailing behind.

Rachel had planned a trip back to the mainland with Stan, and their flight left early, leaving Danny with Grace earlier than expected. A bonus really.

Only, Danny still had some things to clean up before the weekend, so was dragging Grace into the office while he finished up.

“Auntie Kono!” Grace yelled, bursting through the glass doors and all but jumping into Kono’s open arms.

“Uncle Chin could use some love too Grace,” Kono said, setting her down.

Grace’s head ducked a little as she found her footing, and made her way slowly over to Chin. “Hi Uncle Chin,” she offered softly.

Chin knelt and gave her a kind smile. They all knew she had this strange little nervous crush on Chin, and nobody wanted her to feel embarrassed about it. I mean, come on, Chin was definitely crush-worthy.

Grace politely shook Chin’s hand before running back to Danny and clinging to him like she was five and not eight.

“Is Uncle Steve here?” She asked, looking around.

“Yeah, I think he’s in his office monkey,” Danny replied, “probably not doing any work. Playing solitaire on his computer or something.”

Kono and Chin smirked, and Grace took off at a run for Steve’s office, but stopped short and turned back. “Wait…” She frowned, and put her thinking face on. “Do I still call him Uncle Steve if you guys are dating?” She looked at Danny like it was a genuine question, and not one of those ones that she planned to answer by herself.

Chin and Kono’s heads swivelled toward him at exactly the same time.

“Yes, he’s still Uncle Steve,” Danny confirmed.

She nodded like she agreed and rushed to Steve’s office.

The moment the door closed, Chin clapped Danny hard on the shoulder. “Congrats brah!”

“Finally locked it down, huh?” Kono said with a grin.

Danny frowned, and then sighed, rubbing his forehead right where the headache he was considering naming Steve was taking up residence.

“Trouble in paradise already?” Chin asked with a laugh, before he turned to Kono. “Hey, you owe me fifty.”

“We need more details before I’m paying up,” she replied.

“Look, it’s… complicated.”

“See,” she stuck her tongue out at Chin.

“Complicated how?” Chin asked, crossing his arms.

“In that… we’re not… actually dating,” Danny said. “And excuse me, but why exactly would she owe you money?”

“No, no, no,” Kono said, “no changing the subject. What’s going on?”

“Grace may have… mistakenly assumed that we were together, and I maybe didn’t correct her,” Danny said. He glanced over to see Steve lifting Grace off the ground and spinning her around in a hug while she laughed.

“So… you’re just…”

“Pretending for her benefit until I get a chance to actually come clean?” Danny asked. “Yeah.”

Kono shook her head, her serious face coming into play. Not quite “interrogation face” but getting there. Chin didn’t look much better, doing that thing where he tilted his head all the way down and then looked up with a raised eyebrow. All in all, not good looks to get from coworkers who were also deadly cops.

“What?” Danny asked defensively, raising his voice and his arms. “I don’t know what you want from me here.”

“This is a bad idea brah,” Kono said. “The longer you draw this out… the more it’s gonna hurt.” She looked pointedly to Steve’s office where Steve and Grace had their faces almost pressed up against the glass, making funny faces at Danny.

Danny’s heart tripped up in his chest at the sight. She was so happy. He really didn’t want to ruin it. He had so little time with her already, he didn’t want to add breaking her heart to their little stolen days here and there. Steve wouldn’t be leaving her life, but somehow he knew it would still hurt her.

“Listen Danny, I get what you’re doing,” Kono said. “You want Grace to be happy.”

“Of course I do Kono, and listen I know you’re going to say this is-”

“Crazy?” Kono asked. “Cause, yeah, this is crazy.” 

Chin put in his two cents. “Kono’s right Danny. You know that the longer this goes on, the harder it’s going to be to tell Grace the truth. Not just harder on you, but harder on everybody.”

They all looked over at Steve and Grace pressing their faces up against the window now and blowing air into their cheeks.

Grace’s was definitely the better funny face. But Steve was always good at letting her win at things without giving up too easily.


	3. The T-shirt Thief

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Danny and Grace surprise Steve with Saturday morning pancakes.

Danny was in the middle of grilling pancakes, Grace watching intently as though she could learn the process by osmosis and be able to make pancakes for every meal.

Steve’s voice almost startled Danny, he was so focused on what he was doing. “Morning everybody,” Steve said.

“Uncle Steve!” Followed by the sounds of a big bear hug, including a squeal when Steve picked her up off the stool she’d been seated at.

“How was your swim?” Danny asked, accustomed now to Steve’s crazy early morning ritual of a swim in the ocean since they’d become partners and he’d been coming over in the mornings to pick him up. Though it was the weekend, Steve never varied his routine; part of that military training he couldn’t shake, Danny guessed.

“Good good,” Steve said.

Danny heard the creak of a stool as Steve put Grace back down.

“You’re not gonna give Danno a hug too?” Grace asked.

Danny answered before Steve could. “Danno is cooking. Hugs are distracting and result in burned pancakes. Do you want burned pancakes?”

“No,” Grace answered, voice mopey. “But Uncle Steve should get a kiss or something. That’s how it goes when you have a boyfriend. You kiss them hello. You’re not a very good boyfriend Danno.”

“Excuse me, but what exactly do you know about kissing boyfriends?” Danny asked, looking over his shoulder to meet Grace’s eye. “Please tell me you’re not running around kissing boys, or girls, for that matter, willy nilly?”

“You’re changing the subject!” Grace protested. “What about Uncle Steve and-”

Steve interrupted, playing diplomat. “You’re both changing the subject, actually,” he said, “so let’s make a deal. Grace, why don’t you reassure Danno that you’re not going around kissing boys and girls, and then Danno will give me a kiss. Everybody wins.” Danny could hear the big dopey grin in his voice.

Grace's voice was a little petulant, but she got away with a lot around Danny, since he didn't get to see her as often as he'd like. “I’m not kissing anyone. But everyone knows that’s how it goes!” She replied to Steve’s truce.

“Alright Danny, pay up,” Steve said.

“Just give me a minute, alright,” Danny replied. “First batch is almost done.”

“Alright, alright,” Steve said.

Danny heard the clink of a mug being pulled from the cupboard, and the long pour of coffee.

“Ok monkey, first batch is for you,” Danny said. He flipped a stack of four pancakes onto a plate and turned to set them on the counter. He almost dropped the plate.

Steve was wearing one of Danny’s white t-shirts.

“That’s...” He motioned with the plate at Steve.

Grace reached for the plate. “C’mon Danno! They’re gonna get cold.”

“Of course monkey,” Danny said, still shaken, setting the plate down in front of her and sliding the bottle of syrup closer.

Steve stirred a pat of butter into his coffee, and Danny barely even noticed. Because he’d never imagined that Steve _Navy SEAL_ McGarrett wouldn’t fill out the shoulders of one of Danny’s t-shirts. Sure, Steve was a leaner muscle than Danny, but come on, the guy was ridiculous! And yet, the shoulders and chest of Danny’s shirt were loose around Steve’s frame. Not that Danny had ever thought about Steve in his clothing before.

Steve was still a little wet from his swim in the ocean, water dripping down from his hair, white shirt clinging to his skin in places he hadn’t quite dried all the way.

“That’s my shirt,” Danny finally got out, just as Steve was taking his first sip of coffee.

“Yeah,” Steve smiled goofy at him.

Here it was: Steve was punishing him for involving him in this fake-dating scheme. First the kiss thing, and now the shirt.

“Grabbed the first thing I saw,” Steve said, “didn’t want to miss Danno’s famous pancakes.”

“But it’s...” Danny wanted to say “my shirt” but that would sound stupid, so he choked out: “dirty.”

“Come on Danno, it’s not a big deal,” Grace said, “Mom does it with Stan’s shirts all the time. She says it smells like him or something gross like that.”

Steve’s goofy smile widened and he raised an eyebrow while he took another sip of coffee.

Grace shoved a forkful of pancake into her mouth, and had barely swallowed before she pointed at Danny. “Come on! We made a deal! Uncle Steve gets a kiss!”

Steve laughed and looked down like he was… what? Nervous? That was new. But when he looked up he was all mischief. “Yeah Danny, you did promise.”

“I don’t actually remember agreeing to anything,” Danny glared.

“Danno!” Grace whined.

“Ok, ok,” Danny said. He stepped around to the other side of the kitchen and looked up at Steve. And how had he not noticed just how much taller Steve was? Sure, he’d looked up to kiss people before. He was short, he knew it. And he apparently had a thing for tall girls… but this was different. And it was stupid. Now was a great time to tell Grace that he’d been less than honest with her. But then he glanced over, and the look of joy and excitement on her face made his heart soar and ache simultaneously because he didn’t want to take that happiness from her.

So instead of breaking the news, he set a hand on the counter, grabbed a little handful of his own shirt that Steve was wearing, and pulled him down for the most pathetic and chaste meeting of lips in the history of time. It was a short little peck, lips pressed hard against each other, not enough time to relax and become soft before he pulled back again.

“That wasn’t a very good kiss,” Grace complained.

“Well, I’m the worst boyfriend I guess,” Danny said, feeling his face flush red as he returned to the stove.

Steve didn’t say a word, no quip or comment. Just silence.

These two would be the death of him, he was sure of that. He turned back to the pan and put more pancakes on. He focused on that for a while, making two stacks for Steve while he tried not to wonder too much about why Steve would have had Danny’s shirt handy. Sure he left his fair share of clothes around Steve’s place, he was there almost every day. But why would it have been the first thing for Steve to grab? The only explanation was that he was messing with Danny and had gone looking for the shirt which was probably still in the hamper from the other day when Danny had messed it up rolling around on the beach with Grace. Because Steve was trying to rub in just what a stupid idea this whole thing was.

“What’s the plan for today?” Steve asked as he was finishing his second plate of pancakes; apparently pancakes were acceptable, while malasadas were off limits. “Not that I’m complaining, by the way, about being ambushed with pancakes. But did you guys have a game plan? Or are you guys going to stick me with the dishes and take off?”

When Danny had asked Grace what she’d wanted to do for the weekend, she’d begged him to have another beach day at Uncle Steve’s. Danny hadn’t even thought to call Steve and check with him first because they usually spent the weekends together anyway.

“Sorry…” Danny said, cutting up the last stack of pancakes for himself. “If you have plans we can absolutely leave you with all these messy sticky dishes to do and get out of your hair.” Danny grinned. If Steve had plans, he would have told Danny. They told each other everything.

And then he was immediately distracted again when Steve reached across to grab the syrup, and his muscles tensed underneath the white shirt that was still sticking to his skin a little.

“I’ve always got time for Gracie,” Steve said, “no other plans. Just wondering what you guys wanted to do.”

“I wanna swim all day and make more sandcastles,” Gracie announced.

Steve started talking through a mouthful. “So long as-”

Grace cut him off. “Yeah, yeah. Defensible east wall, I know Uncle Steve.” She rolled her eyes.

“You got it Gracie,” Steve replied through a mouthful. “You really know your stuff. But you learned from the best, don’t forget.”

Grace rolled her eyes again, and then looked at Danny. “Can I go swimming now, please?”

“You’ve gotta wait for a while now since we just had breakfast. But why don’t you go get changed and we’ll play on the beach first while we wait,” Danny said. “Deal?”

“Deal!” She shouted before setting her plate carefully in the sink and running off to get her stuff.

“Steven?” Danny hissed as soon as Grace was out of earshot.

“What?” Steve asked through a mouthful of chocolate chip banana pancakes; Steve’s favourite.

“What do you mean ‘what’ you neanderthal?” Danny asked, motioning at the shirt. “My shirt. My shirt!”

Steve rolled his eyes and took a sip of coffee to wash down his breakfast. “Oh come on Danny,” he said.

Danny shook his head and motioned at the shirt again.

“Grace mentioned it yesterday,” Steve said, “asked me if I ever wore your shirts and that sometimes Rachel wears Stans shirts…” he trailed off and waved his hand as though there were eons more to the story as he shoved more pancakes into his mouth.

“Ok, let’s just skip any further explanation and-”

“And _what,_ Danny?” Steve asked, wiping his hands and crossing his arms. Ok, now he was filling the shirt out. Now that he was puffed up like some gorilla challenging another gorilla. “What, Danny?” he pitched his voice low so Grace definitely wouldn’t hear. “You wanted me to play along with this stupid thing. You asked me to play along, and when I do you’re all over me about it? I’m not sure what you want from me here.” Danny knew Steve’s face pretty well, had made up names for all the different expressions, but this one was new; sadness and frustration and a bunch of stuff put into a blender and mixed up with a set of big blue emotional eyes as the cherries on top.

Grace’s timing was impeccable as usual. She’d always been good at interrupting and defusing Danny and Rachel’s fights near the end. Her footsteps raced down the stairs and she ran back into the kitchen wearing her swimsuit.

“All ready to go Danno!” She said, practically humming with energy.

“Ok, well I’m gonna finish up my breakfast and then clean up,” Danny said. “Why don’t you guys hit the beach and I’ll meet you out there?”

“Come on Uncle Steve!” Grace yelled as she bolted.

“Wait on the lanai until I get out there!” Steve called back. He hauled himself up from the stool, looking a little lighter for Grace’s presence, but still tired and a little angry. He walked to the back door by the laundry room and grabbed the bottle of sunscreen he kept there. Danny’s heart hurt that he didn’t need to remind Steve to put it on her. Or that Steve didn’t mind helping out like that. Steve stopped in front of Danny, the anger seeping away and leaving him just looking tired when he met Danny’s eye. “You cooked…” he said, motioning around the kitchen. “You shouldn’t have to clean up too.”

Danny waved his hand. “Don’t worry about it,” he said, “we ambushed you. Keep an eye on Grace and we’re even, ok?”

Steve’s grin returned, easy as that. “You got it Danno.” And then, a little hop in his step, he headed out into the sunshine with Grace.

When Danny emerged from the kitchen, everything cleaned up, it was to Grace screeching with excitement as her and Steve watched their tall sand tower topple over into the surf.

“Alright monkey, you should be good to jump in the water,” Danny called out as he wandered through the shaded areas until he got close to the shore and flopped into a faded chair under cover of a tree; fair skin and the sun weren’t playmates. Grace had somehow ended up with this wonderful dark complexion and she never had any trouble frolicking around in the sunshine for hours on end and never burning. Steve was the same; his tan seemed to be built in. Even when Danny had first met him, and he’d been fresh out of the Navy, Steve had been tanned perfectly from head to toe. Well, as much of head to toe as Danny has seen anyway, he couldn’t account for the skin under Steve’s low slung board shorts. 

Looking at the two of them side by side, Steve and Grace looked more related than Grace and Danny. And wasn’t it odd that the thought didn’t bug Danny one bit?

Grace lingered on the shore next to Steve, shooting conspiratorial glances his way, which was odd because normally when Danny gave her the all clear she was in the water before he could blink.

“Well, go ask him,” Steve said, not meeting Danny’s eyes and focusing on starting the next sand tower. “It was your idea.”

She walked up to Danny, toeing at the grass of the yard, and putting on her best cute “I want something” face. See, she even had faces just like Steve.

“What’s up?” Danny asked.

“See, I was thinking that it would be really fun if we stayed at Uncle Steve’s tonight,” she said.

Steve was still focused on the sand castle, but there was a grin on his face, and Danny’s t-shirt was still hanging from his shoulders, rustling in the breeze like a big white distraction.

“I don’t know monkey… we already ambushed Uncle Steve without asking and-”

“No, he said it was fine!” She said defensively, finally meeting Danny’s eye and getting very excited about the whole idea. “We can swim all day on the beach and then stay overnight. Like a slumber party!”

Steve finally piped up. “Like a real slumber party Danno.” And then tacked on: “With movies and ice cream. Maybe even a pillow fight.” The grin on his face was equal parts sweet for Grace and evil for Danny.

“Come on Danno,” Grace pleaded. “Why don’t you want to stay at Steve’s? I’m sure you do all the time when I’m not around. Why can’t I stay too?”

“Why would you say that monkey?” Danny asked.

“Well, you do right? You guys spend all your time together. Why wouldn’t you stay over? It’s what you do when you’re in a serious relationship with someone,” she said as though she had any knowledge or authority in the matter.

“But we didn’t bring anything Gracie,” Danny tried to argue his way out, knowing he was already stuck. “We don’t have pyjamas or our toothbrushes or anything.”

“We can go get it!” Grace said. “It won’t take long! And then we can spend the whole weekend with Uncle Steve. Please!”

“Please,” Steve tacked on so soft the word almost didn’t carry over the sound of the surf, and there was so much emotion in Steve’s eyes that Danny knew he was giving in for both of them, not just Grace. But why did Steve want it so badly?

And then it hit Danny like a tidal wave: Steve wanted a family night. He wanted to sit in front of a TV and watch movies and make popcorn and have a house full of noise and laughter and family. And it hurt Danny in his soul that Steve wanted it so badly, that Steve didn’t have that. That Steve was obviously nervous to even ask for it.

“Alright, alright, alright,” Danny conceded, throwing his hands up in the air. “Tell you what, you stay here with Uncle Steve, so long as you two promise not to get into too much trouble.”

“I swear!” Grace replied.

“That means no robbing banks, and no jacking cars and-”

Grace started laughing and cut him off. “Danno!”

Danny pointed at Steve. “I didn’t hear you swear!”

Steve smiles and looks down at the sandcastle he’s started. “Swearing to the governor wasn’t good enough?” He asked. “Now I gotta swear to you too?”

“Ok. I’ll go pack us some bags and grab some groceries. I’ll be back in an hour. Tops!” Danny heaved himself out of the chair and stopped halfway to the house turning back to the beach. “What do you animals want for supper?”

“Ice cream!” Grace yelled with a laugh as she ran into the waves, followed close behind by Steve, who pulled off Danny’s white shirt and tossed it onto a chair.

“Nothing we need to barbecue!” Steve called out to be heard over the waves. “Forecast said a storm’s coming later!”

Danny would just decide for them, he knew what they both liked. He grabbed his keys from the dish by the door, like they belonged there; like he threw them there when he got home from work everyday, which he pretty much did when he didn’t have Grace. He jingled the keys on his thumb as he made he way out to the car.

Danny got back with their bags, tossing both of them onto the spare room bed before he stowed the groceries in the kitchen. Dinner would be chicken parmigiana with fresh linguini. It hit all the right points: simple enough for Grace’s still unrefined pallet, and a spark of Danny’s Italian cooking that Steve loved. And Danny could eat chicken parmigiana every day of the week he loved it so much.

He wandered to the back of the house and leaned in the doorway. The sun beat down, sparkling on the ocean, lighting up the grass an impossible bright green, and highlighting Steve and Grace splashing around in the water.

Their craziness slowed down as Steve started talking, his voice echoing across the water. “Ok, so the backstroke is an important one,” he said with authority in his voice. “If you’re ever injured, or you’re helping someone else swim, the backstroke is a great position because it’s easier to get more air and float.”

Grace nodded, listening intently. She’d had swimming lessons, and probably knew the backstroke really well, but she didn’t let that on to Uncle Steve, she just let him teach.

Steve laid down in the water and did a few strokes back. When he stood up he gave a little more instruction. “You want your hands to do this in the water.” He demonstrated standing up. “You ready.”

Grace nodded tightly, taking the lesson very seriously. She laid down in the water, Steve standing close by. And then her arms and feet churned water as she swam toward the shore.

“That was good, that was good,” Steve encouraged as she stood up. “Just make sure you’re keeping your body at the surface of the water, don’t let your legs sink down, ok? Go again.”

She obeyed.

Danny wandered down the lawn, not wanting to interrupt, but drawn in by the moment.

“Good good,” Steve said, so focused on Grace he didn’t see Danny approach and sit in his chair again. “I know it’s hard to focus on everything at once, but try to keep your legs up this time and remember the arms. Like this.” He demonstrated while standing up again.

Grace nodded curtly again, her face a serious mask. She laid back in the water and started backstroking out to sea again, stopping after a few strokes and standing up to wipe the hair from her face.

“High five Gracie,” Steve said, holding up his hand, the tattoos on his arm glistening with sprinkles of sunlit water. “That was perfect form. I’m gonna test you on that again tomorrow, alright? But let’s take a break now since Danno’s back, yeah?”

“You bet Uncle Steve,” Grace replied, her face going from learning mode into excitement.

They wandered back to the beach, and Steve dried himself off quickly with the towel he’d left there, before pulling Danny’s white shirt on again. It stuck to his chest and stomach in random places where the water had been missed by the towel.

Grace returned to the sand, stuffing shovelfuls of the stuff into buckets to make towers.

Danny looked out across the water and saw dark storm clouds rolling quietly over the sea in the distance. 

Well, not everyday could be perfect, not even in paradise.


	4. Lono and Laka

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A big storm rolls in and scares Grace in the middle of the night.
> 
> It's cool, her dads are there to take care of her. ;)

Danny tucked Grace into the way-too-big bed in Steve’s spare room. She was being swallowed by mounds of pillows and blankets.

Rain lashed the windows, and beat on the roof. It was a big storm. But it was that time of year. The clouds had rolled in just around dinner time, the rain had started while they were halfway through Kung Fu Panda.

Grace eyed the roof nervously as though she was afraid it was going to give way.

Danny tucked her hair behind her ear, and pushed the stuffed dolphin Steve had bought her into her arms. “It’s ok monkey. It’s just a storm.”

“I know Danno,” she replied, turning her attention to him. “I’ll be fine. I’m tough.”

“Well, it’s ok if you’re not tough, ok?” He replied, worried his little girl was trying to grow up too fast. “So, if you get scared, I’m just next door ok?”

She nodded solemnly, looking entirely too serious for someone about to try to go to sleep.

Danny reluctantly stood up and went to the door. “I’ll leave the hall light on, ok?”

She nodded again.

“Good night monkey,” he said, flipping the room’s light switch.

“Love you Danno.”

“Love you too.”

Danny closed the door halfway, so a big wedge of light from the hall lit up Grace’s room. He knew she would try to be brave, but the thunderstorms in Hawaii were nothing like the thunderstorms in Jersey; like comparing Gracie’s little league team and the Mets. The thunder got under your skin and into your chest in Hawaii; it cracked like the world was falling apart. 

Danny couldn’t blame her being scared. The first time he’d been woken up by a thunderstorm in Hawaii he’d fallen out of bed.

Danny went next door to the master bedroom. Steve was in the ensuite brushing his teeth, already dressed for sleep, the infamous white t-shirt nowhere in sight. 

Danny leaned in the bathroom doorway, arms crossed. “So, what’s the plan then?” He asked quietly so Grace wouldn’t overhear. “You got a spare bedroll from Army days or something?”

Steve rolled his eyes and silently chastised Danny “navy, not the army” without saying a word. He spit his toothpaste into the sink. “No, I don’t have a spare bedroll. What for?”

“I was thinking of climbing Everest, you know, and I figured I should have something to sleep on,” Danny said sarcastically. “So I can sleep on the floor Steven, what else would I use it for?”

“You’re not sleeping on the floor Danny,” Steve said quietly as he slipped past Danny and moved toward the bed.

Danny whispered after him. “Well there only seems to be one bed in here, so I’m not sure-”

Steve walked back to Danny, standing uncomfortably close, towering over him like the big stupid giraffe he was. “I’m pretty sure I just overhead you tell Grace to come find you if she gets scared,” he said. “How’s it gonna look if she gets scared and comes in to find you sleeping on the floor? It’s a queen size bed Danny. Lots of room.” Steve looked tired suddenly, worn out.

“Well, I... suppose...” Danny stumbled over his words, still concentrated on trying to figure out where Steve’s fatigue was coming from. They’d had a pretty low key day, and spending time with Grace always seemed to energize Steve, not drain him.

Steve whispered, harsh suddenly. “Danny this whole stupid thing was your idea,” he hissed, “if you can’t follow through then you’ve gotta come clean with Grace. Honestly, I think this whole thing is shitty. You shouldn’t just keep lying to her about this. How does it not hurt people in the end? How does this end well?”

Steve didn’t wait for an answer, instead he went to the bed, crawled in, curled up facing the wall and shut off the light on his bedside table. The light from the table on the other side lit Steve’s back, muscles all tense and tight.

Danny wanted to groan out his frustration and then punch something. Instead he grabbed the bag he’d packed for their slumber party, slunk into the bathroom and closed the door.

Getting ready for bed he let the thoughts run wild through his head. Steve was right. Unless he was prepared to follow this sham all the way through to growing old and dying with Steve, he needed to come clean soon. And the longer it went on, the more it would hurt Gracie.

Danny slunk out of the bathroom. Crawling into bed he turned his back to Steve, curled up, and shut off his light.

Danny wasn’t sure exactly when he’d fallen asleep, because his thoughts had raced and whirred right up until the moment he’d drifted off.

He knew exactly when he woke up though, because a crack of thunder shook the house around him, closing like a shock collar where it vibrated in his throat. Danny turned over onto his back and fisted the sheets, the cop in him ready to jump to action. But how do you fight a thunderstorm?

In the night Steve had rolled onto his back, and was still gently snoring his way through the awful noise outside.

Another boom shook the windows, and a shadow appeared in the doorway to their room: little Gracie, clutching her stuffed dolphin tight.

“Danno?” She called hesitantly from the doorway.

“C’mere monkey,” he said sitting up and pulling open the covers.

Instead of crawling in on his side, next to the edge of the bed like he’d hoped, she rolled over him and into the middle.

Steve’s sleep heavy voice spoke up. “Mmmm... ok Gracie?” He asked.

Danny wrapped his big arms around her and pulled her close to him; protective and possessive.

“I’ll be ok,” Grace said in that firm sweet way she had. Such confidence.

Another boom shook the air, and every muscle in Grace’s body tightened. She flailed out her hands and took hold of Steve’s t-shirt even as she snuggled back further into Danny’s embrace. Her little arms pulled, and Steve followed, rolling closer to them.

“It’s ok monkey,” Danny said, softly stroking her hair and trying to put her at ease.

Steve rubbed the sleep from his eyes and settled right next to them. Grace’s little fingers were tangled up in his shirt.

“Don’t worry Gracie, it’ll pass,” Steve said softly before he leaned in and planted a soft little kiss on her forehead. He probably wouldn’t have done it if he was fully awake, but then again Steve and Grace had been getting closer and closer, maybe he would have.

The thunder started as a rumble this time and built up to that awful ear splitting crack like a drum solo. With each stronger beat Grace’s muscles got tighter and tighter as she dreaded the inevitable. When it finally hit, she squawked out a frightened little scream and pulled on Steve’s shirt again.

Steve shifted somehow closer and threw an arm around Danny, his other hand finding Danny’s forearm so they were closing Grace up in a squishy little hug. Danny shot Steve a look at the arm circling him, the fingers grasping at his back to pull them all together. But Steve wasn’t looking at Danny, his concerned stormy eyes were completely focused on Grace.

“Don’t worry Gracie,” Steve soothed, “don’t you worry. You got Danno and Uncle Steve to keep you safe, right?”

Grace buried her face in Steve’s chest and held tight to Danny’s arms around her. She mumbled something into Steve’s t-shirt.

“What’s that monkey?” Danny asked.

More thunder, and Grace burrowed further into Steve’s chest, Steve’s arms tightening around them.

Once the sound had faded she emerged again. “Tell me a story,” she said, her voice quivering and soft.

“Once upon a time,” Danny started.

Grace sat up. “No, Danno,” she said, “I know all of your stories. I want Uncle Steve to tell one.”

Steve just settled in a little more, not the least bit intimidated by story time. “Have they taught you about Lono and Laka in school at all?” Steve asked, looking down to meet Grace’s eyes as she wrapped her arms around his middle. The action pulled them all even closer together: Gracie wrapped around Steve, Danny holding tightly to Grace, and Steve surrounding all of them with his big ridiculous arms. They were all so close, Gracie the glue holding them together.

“Nope,” Grace replied, shaking her head.

“I hope you’re in the mood for a love story,” Steve said with a smile.

“A love story?” Grace’s voice perked up immediately.

“You bet,” Steve replied.

“No killing, or maiming or torture or anything, right?” Danny asked.

Steve shot him an eye roll.

“Ok, ok,” Danny smiled, “had to make sure. Continue.”

“Well, now that I have Danno’s permission,” Steve said sarcastically, locking eyes with Grace conspiratorially.

The panes of glass shook with a jolt of thunder. Grace’s body tightened again and she whimpered.

“Lono is the god of thunder,” Steve said, his fingers gripping Danny tightly, loosening only when Grace started to relax. “The god of thunder and rain. And a long time ago he was alone, roaming around and bringing storm clouds with him and raining down on everything. Generally he was a pretty grumpy guy. And then this grumpy god followed one of his rainclouds to Hawaii.”

A bright flash of lightning filled the room suddenly, and Danny felt blinded. Another whip-crack of thunder followed.

Once the sound quit, Steve continued as though nothing had interrupted him.

“So, this grumpy god is sitting up in his rainclouds, pouring down awful rain and lightning and thunder on Hawaii when he sees Laka.”

“Who’s Laka?” Grace asked, her voice all curiosity.

“Laka is the goddess of the forest, and Lono can’t believe his eyes when he sees her,” Steve said.

“Love at first sight?” Grace asked, excited.

“You bet Gracie,” Steve said, “love at first sight. Lono saw her and just knew that he wanted to be with her forever.”

More bright lightning, so bright Danny thought it must have struck close. The thunder that followed was the loudest yet, and Grace yelped and pulled Steve even closer. Their legs all tangled together under the blankets, and Steve shot Danny an apologetic look, but Danny didn’t pull away.

“It’s ok Gracie,” Steve soothed, “Danno’s got you.”

“You too, Uncle Steve,” she corrected, “you got me too.”

Steve looked up at Danny and the emotion in his eyes almost bowled Danny over. He knew Steve cared about Grace, but this was something else entirely. Danny saw the sad longing there, but he wasn’t sure exactly what it meant. Longing to have a family of his own?

“Yeah monkey,” Danny said before he could think too much more about it, “we got you.”

“Where was I?” Steve asked, clearing his throat.

“Love at first sight!” Grace said.

“Right,” Steve shot a quick look at Danny before he resumed. “Love at first sight. So Lono doesn’t feel so grumpy anymore, and he stops the rain, and he puts down a rainbow and follows it to Hawaii.”

Grace yawned wide, settling into the warmth between them.

A flash of lightning; the rumble of thunder that followed was a little less intense than before.

“And Lono falls in love with Laka and they get married,” Steve said.

“Happily ever after,” Grace mumbled softly.

“Happily ever after,” Steve repeated. “Do you know why?”

“Hmmm?” Grace asked sleepily. “Why?”

“Because they are perfect together,” Steve said, “they compliment each other. Lono is the rain, and Laka is the forest. The forest doesn’t grow without the rain.”

“Like soul mates,” Grace said.

Bright lightning, and a grumble of thunder. The storm was retreating.

Steve met Danny’s eye and smiled, repeating Grace’s words: “Like soul mates.”

Danny woke up from the best sleep he’d had in a long time. He woke up slow, and even though the position he was in should have been awkward, somehow it was perfect. He felt Grace in his arms, her slow even breathing indicating that she was still asleep. There was other warmth there too. And when he opened his eyes he found himself looking at the worn out blue cotton of Steve’s t-shirt, just inches from his face. Danny was curled around Grace, and they were both tucked under Steve’s chin, pulled into his chest by those big long ridiculous arms. Their legs were still all tangled together, his feet wrapped up with Steve’s.

Danny felt like he was being torn in half. One side of him wanted to jump up out of bed and make excuses for why he’d fallen asleep cuddling with his partner. The other half of him wanted to snuggle in closer, close his eyes and go back to sleep for a little longer; just a little longer. He didn’t blame himself for that second half. How many years had Danny been the rock, the strong one, the person doing the holding and the soothing? It felt more than a little good to give that up and relax into someone else’s strength.

So Danny gave into that craving to be taken care of. Trying to disturb the other two as little as possible he shouldered a little deeper into the wonderful pillows and blankets on Steve’s bed and closed his eyes again. He breathed in deep and it was an insane and beautiful mixture of Steve and Grace. His half-asleep brain took that scent in and translated it to words: Family. Danny ran with it and fell back asleep.

He wasn’t out long before his body started waking up, urging him to head to the bathroom. Danny ignored it, he was too happy snuggled up with his… the word family crossed his mind again. Sure, he was close with Steve, but family implied something more. Something like what they’d been pretending. Danny shook the thought away and just lay content surrounded by the warmth and deep sleep breaths of Grace and Steve.

Finally Danny couldn’t ignore the aching in his bladder. As much as he wanted to lay in that bed forever and never think about what it meant that he liked it so much, he gently slid his arms out from around Grace and lifted up the covers.

Grace stirred and moved, and as Danny moved back and more of Steve came into view, he could see that Steve had woken up too. Great. Moment ruined.

Grace whined a little in her sleep, but settled closer to Steve, her arms closing around him again.

“Don’t worry,” Steve whispered so softly Danny wondered if he’d heard anything at all or just read Steve’s lips. “I’ve got her.”

Danny moved out of Steve’s arms, and felt empty for it. Then Steve took those big stupid, tanned, tattooed arms and closed them around Grace and her dolphin stuffy that Steve had bought her. Grace snuggled closer to Steve and settled again, falling back asleep.

Danny tiptoed as quickly as possible to the bathroom before he burst.

Rain was still lightly pattering against the windows, and despite the fact that the day had started, the light was muted and soft.

When Danny came back into the bedroom he had to stop and stare. He could barely see Grace for how completely she was wrapped up in Steve’s embrace; Steve’s loving, protective, caring embrace. _And the Grinch’s heart grew three sizes that day,_ Danny thought with a smirk. He could have stood and watched them sleep all day, it looked so peaceful and perfect and right. And then Danny’s brain started to whir: what did it mean that he loved that sight so much? How would he ever make it through a rainstorm again without thinking of this moment? What did it mean that this memory was quickly climbing to the top of his favourite memories list? Maybe even up to number 2, after the day Grace was born?

But all of his thoughts were stopped completely, silenced by Steve opening his eyes and seeing Danny watching them. Their eyes locked, and Danny couldn’t look away. His smile widened, and Steve’s mouth stretched into that perfect goofy grin that was for happiness and doing stupid things.

Before Danny could overanalyze the way his stomach flipped in circles at that look and smile, Steve lifted his hand and motioned for Danny to come back to bed.

Danny didn’t overthink it, he just obeyed.


	5. A Beautiful Little Family

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve convinces Danny that they should go out for breakfast with Grace and tell her the truth.

Still half asleep, Danny felt Grace’s soft, yet bony little knees and elbows and palms as she crawled across his body, tilting the edge of the bed as she got out of it. It was a common occurrence when sharing a bed with Grace. Eventually she would need to get up and pee or she would just wake up while Danny wanted to sleep in.

But then Danny’s arms, which should have been empty, closed around a warm body. Maybe he’d been mistaken and he’d dreamed her crawling over him. He closed his arms around that body and pulled it closer as sleep threatened to take him down again. The warmth and muscle settled against him, and it was too big to be Grace, but it was warm and Danny was so tired and worn out from the stress of the night before, riding out the thunder storm, holding Grace tight in Steve’s bed that he-

Danny’s eyes opened wide, staring at that blue of Steve’s t-shirt from where he was tucked into his chest.

“Wait,” Danny said sleepily, rolling onto his back away from Steve, “wasn’t there a monkey here before?” He didn’t venture a glance at Steve’s face.

“Yeah,” Steve croaked, also rolling away onto his back, stealing his arm from underneath Danny. “She just got up.”

Rain lashing the house filled the silence.

“Guess it’s time to… get up then,” Danny said awkwardly, still not moving.

“Probably.”

Danny was used to repressing his feelings. It ran in the family. So it wasn’t hard for him to take the awkwardness and stuff it deep down inside and never have to talk about it.

And then Steve’s voice cut through the soft sound of rain. “You need to tell her Danny,” his voice was cold, and that hurt Danny for some reason that he couldn’t place. “We’ll go to breakfast. There’s this place on the North Shore. We’ll sit down with her and you need to tell her the truth.”

Danny nodded, and then remembered that they weren’t looking at each other, and added: “Yeah, you’re right.” But a part of him didn’t want it to end, was sad about it. For Grace, but for Steve too. He’d been able to use the whole dating thing as an excuse to give Steve family, and he’d enjoyed it. Steve deserved it.

“It’s not fair Danny,” Steve’s voice shook a little.

And before Danny could turn to Steve and ask what, exactly, he meant by that statement, Grace came back into the room.

“Lazy bones!” She complained.

Already fully dressed, she ran to the bed and jumped into the middle of it, right between them.

Both of them reached out to catch her as she bounced, but their hands got tangled up around her waist and Steve pulled back like he’d been burned.

“I’ve gotta go… brush my teeth,” Steve said quietly as he got up from the bed.

Grace looked after him, her eyes wide with worry. “I’m sorry Uncle Steve,” she said as the ensuite door closed. “I didn’t mean to jump on you!” She looked back to Danny, her eyes welling up a little.

Danny heard a thunk from the bathroom that sounded distinctly like someone’s head hitting the door while they were leaned against it. Danny had done his fair share of that with dozens of different doors, he knew that sound well, it was an old friend.

“It’s ok monkey,” Danny said in the happiest voice he could muster with the biggest grin he could manage. “Uncle Steve’s fine. He’s just not a morning person. See, when we come visit him he’s usually been up for hours and hours, and had his swim already.”

“Are you sure?” She asked, reaching out and grabbing the dolphin stuffy she’d slept with and holding it tight.

“I’m sure.”

Steve finally emerged to find Danny and Grace still sitting on his bed.

“Ok, my turn,” Danny said, jumping up and heading to the bathroom.

As he closed the door behind him he heard Grace ask: “You’re not mad at me, are you Uncle Steve?”

“Mad at you?” Steve asked, and Danny could hear the smile in his words. “I could never be mad at you Gracie! I just woke up on the wrong side of the bed, cause Danno took my side.”

Grace laughed. “Good. I don’t want you to mad at me.”

“If I was mad at you, would I be taking you to my favourite place for breakfast?” Steve asked. “They make the best french toast on the island.”

Danny closed the door and let their conversation fade to a pleasant humming with the barrier between them.

He looked in the mirror and whispered to himself: “What the hell are you doing Danny Williams?”

Danny was watching the bathroom door in the Hukilau Cafe, waiting for Grace to come back when the waitress set the plates down on the table. Steve hadn’t been lying, the french toast looked awesome.

“Any time now,” Steve said softly from across the table while he poured syrup on his breakfast.

“I’m getting to it, I’m getting to it,” Danny grumbled in response.

“Well get to it quicker,” Steve said, “you should have talked to her last weekend before this got out of hand.”

Danny took his eyes away from the bathroom door for a minute to look at Steve. Steve, who was hunched over his plate and didn’t look the least bit like the wanted to be there. Of course he didn’t, the whole thing was awkward and Danny shouldn’t have involved him in the first place.

“Steve I’m sorry I shouldn’t-”

“Breakfast!” Grace said, sitting down next to Steve.

Danny had tried to get her to sit next to him, but no, she’d wanted to sit next to Uncle Steve.

Steve smiled for Grace and set his arm on the back of her chair.

“You were totally right Uncle Steve, way worth the drive up here,” Grace said as he handed her the syrup. “This looks awesome.”

“Not as good as Danno’s pancakes but…” Steve said, not meeting Danny’s eye.

“No way, but nothing will ever be as good as that,” Grace said dutifully as she dug in. Once her first mouthful was done and she finished raving to Steve about how good it was, she turned to Danny. “Maybe we could go to La’ie Point before we go home?”

Steve smiled. “That could be cool. It’s really awesome.”

Danny shook his head. He had no idea where it was, on top of the fact that he didn’t think Grace would be in the mood after they broke the news. “I don’t know monkey, we’ll see-”

“It’s really close by!” She said. “I checked online before we left, and it’s only a twenty minute walk!”

“How did you even know where we were going?” Danny asked, glancing at Steve who was grinning back at him. He pointed at Steve. “You wouldn’t tell me, but you’ll tell Grace?”

Steve’s grin widened a little, his eyebrow arching. “Grace can keep a secret. Plus it wouldn’t have been a secret if I told everyone.”

Danny put a square of french toast into his mouth and sighed. It was really, really good.

“What about La’ie Point?” Grace asked eagerly.

“I don’t know monkey,” Danny said, “it’s still raining-“

“It’s barely a drizzle Danno,” Grace whined.

“And I don’t know… if you’ll feel up to it after…” He looked at Steve, whose face fell a little, “after all this food.”

“I will, I promise!”

Such a little adventurer. Just like Steve.

“Gracie there’s something…” Steve started, looking regretful the very second he let her name out of his mouth. He was pushing the food around on his plate like he didn’t want to eat any more of it; so out of character. “Something we need to talk to you about.”

“Sure,” she said, too young to feel the tension creeping up around them, the bad thing coming on the horizon. “What’s up Uncle Steve?”

Steve’s eyes were desperate, and a little wild. “Danny… did you want to…”

Danny nodded and leaned forward, elbows on the little table, holding a hand up like he did when he was talking about something serious and didn’t know what to do with himself; the Jersey in him taking over. “Listen monkey, about me and Uncle Steve…”

The waitress came by with the worst timing ever and stopped in front of their table. “Well hello, how’s everything tasting?”

“This is the best french toast on the island!” Grace announced proudly.

Steve’s grin returned, and Danny smiled too. “Everything’s great, thank you.”

The waitress shifted her weight to walk away and stopped, looking back at them, specifically between Steve and Grace, with a soft glance Danny’s way. “You just have the most beautiful little family,” she said softly and folded her hands together at her throat.

Danny didn’t know what to say, shocked into silence. He looked across the table; Grace sitting tall and proud at the compliment, Steve’s arm still casually resting on the back of her chair, his body leaned toward her. They looked like a father and daughter out for breakfast, Danny couldn’t deny it; with their dark complexions and hair, and the way they sat so comfortably next to each other, the way Steve had ordered for all of them like he was her father.

When no one said anything for a moment, Danny struck too dumb to answer, Steve looked up and said “thank you,” so quiet and pride shining out of his stupid big blue eyes.

The waitress just nodded and walked away.

Danny sat back in his chair unsure exactly what he was feeling. He looked at his breakfast, which still looked fantastic and his stomach ached for more of it, but then he looked up at Steve. Their eyes met and something passed between them and Danny didn’t understand it. Since the whole fake dating thing started, Steve had been wearing a bunch of new faces that Danny didn’t have names for; faces he couldn’t read.

“Danno?” Grace’s voice sounded worried, and when he looked back to her, he realized she’d said his name a few times and his brain just hadn’t processed.

“What’s up monkey?”

“What were you gonna say?” She asked, wiping up the rest of her syrup with the last piece of toast.

Danny shook his head. What had they been talking about? He couldn’t remember.

“About you and Uncle Steve,” Grace urged, folding her arms on the table the same way Danny did.

Oh, right. _That_ conversation. That’s why they had come to Steve’s favourite place. So they could break the news to Grace over the best french toast in the world, according to Steve. And then suffer through an hour long drive home. What a terrible idea.

“It’s nothing Grace,” Steve said softly, looking to Danny for confirmation.

Danny gave a nod so small nobody but Steve would have known that it was a nod at all.

“I was just wondering if you wanted to stay again next weekend?” Steve asked.

Danny smiled at Grace’s immediate excitement.

“Really?” Grace asked. “Can we really Danno? Steve’s is the best. I love it so much there.”

Danny wanted to cry she was so excited, and because he felt the same way. He’d spend every weekend at Steve’s, and almost always did. Steve had so quickly worked his way into Danny’s life, becoming the best friend he’d ever had without even trying. And Danny’s heart hurt for how it would wreck their relationship when this thing was all said and done. Why hadn’t he just put the kibosh on it from the start?

“Course monkey,” Danny said, his voice hoarse with all the emotion suddenly coursing through him. He tried to cover by shoving more breakfast into his mouth.


	6. All Tied Up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Danny's getting frantic about the situation. It's been a week and a half, and he still hasn't been able to break the news to Grace.
> 
> Chin offers some insight.

Danny was all tied up in knots. Figuratively.

Each day that had passed after being mistaken for a family, things just got more and more confusing.

The moment they’d gone back to work on Monday, Steve had acted like everything was normal. Nothing out of place. He didn’t even give Danny any frustrated looks, or mention telling Grace again. It was like Steve wanted to pretend that nothing was going on, that nothing needed to be fixed.

And yet there was something going on. Grace still thought they were dating. And as each day passed, he knew it would only get harder and harder to tell her that she had been wrong. That Danno had lied to her. That Uncle Steve had lied to her.

But Danny had absolutely no idea how to break it to her. He was masterful at twisting words with perps and criminals, and changing people’s views on situations and the world. And yet, when it came to Grace, when she smiled at him, his strategies just fell apart. Even thinking about the way she smiled at Steve, and laughed with him, made Danny unsure exactly how to break the news without also breaking her heart.

Words and phrases tripped through his brain:

“Uncle Steve will still be around…”

“We can still have sleepovers…”

“Nobody’s breaking up, we were never together…”

Each sentence twisted his stomach up in more knots as he thought about Grace’s reaction.

He stood on the beach in front of Sidestreets, running possible scenarios through his head while the waves crashed in front of him, drowning out the noise of the bar behind him. It was Wednesday night and after two days of working a particularly shit case, Kono had offered to buy a round. So they’d ventured out together, hoping for camaraderie and a good time.

Everyone had started laughing, Steve with that goofy smile, and he’d reached over and grabbed Danny’s forearm, gripping tightly and pulling him toward him the way he did when he laughed sometimes. Pulling Danny closer. And after the thunderstorm, Danny knew what being closer to Steve felt like, and he cursed himself for how much he liked it; the warm circle of Steve’s arms that could shelter both Danny and Grace, the heat he put out like a furnace. The thoughts that raced through his brain made his breath come too quickly; it felt like he was in an enclosed space, and he needed to get away. So he’d stood up and stormed off to the beach with his bottle to get some fresh air and wide open space.

And then of course his brain had stumbled into the Fake Dating Steve problem again.

“Hey brah,” Chin’s voice broke through the echo of the surf without being loud. He clapped a hand on Danny’s shoulder. “You’ve been out here a while, thought you might want a refill.” He handed Danny another bottle.

He hadn’t drank half of the one in his hand, but the liquid inside would be warm now from the bottle being clutched tightly in his sweaty palm. He gratefully accepted the new cold bottle from Chin, setting the other in the sand.

“I think Steve is worried about you,” Chin said. “But he didn’t seem to want to come out here himself.”

Danny huffed a little laugh at the thought of Steve being nervous about talking to him alone after they’d cuddled and kissed the previous weekend; talking seemed like nothing at all after that.

“Maybe he’s nervous, cause this whole ‘dating’ thing is still going on?” Chin’s inflection implied question, but something buried in his tone said he knew it was true and the question was only for politeness.

“Jeeze, what are you? A detective or something?” Danny asked, trying for humour and a smile, but he could feel that it stretched across his face as a grimace instead.

“Look Danny,” Chin said softly in his ‘serious advice’ voice, “don’t get me wrong. I’ve got 50 dollars riding on the outcome of this whole…”

“Farce,” Danny supplied.

“Situation,” Chin corrected diplomatically. “So don’t think my little bit of wisdom here is tied up in my desire to scoop fifty bucks off Kono, ok?”

Danny nodded. He knew Chin would never stoop so low.

Chin put an arm around Danny’s shoulders and turned them back toward the bar where Steve and Kono were competing in a game of darts. They’d drawn their own starting line, twice as far as the original one the bar had put in place. Steve tossed three darts in quick succession, all near the bullseye as far as Danny could see. But Steve still threw his arms up in mock frustration before retrieving his darts. He could hear Kono’s teasing tone all the way out on the beach, but not the exact words, as she stepped up to the line all cocky swagger that she’d learned from Steve. They laughed, and Steve’s contagious chuckle wandered over the sand and found him and Chin. It made Danny smile. It made him feel a lot of things.

“All I’m saying is,” Chin said quietly, leaning close, “that maybe there’s a reason you don’t want to tell Grace you’re not dating. And maybe it’s got nothing to do with Grace’s feelings.”

Danny felt sober suddenly and looked over at Chin, who was dead serious; his face all earnest concern and encouragement.

“Hey you two!” Kono called out as she walked gracefully through the sand, Steve on her heels.

“Who won?” Danny asked, sipping from his beer.

Steve rolled his eyes as Kono raised her arm into the air.

“Way to beat the SEAL, cous!” Chin raised a hand for a high five, letting his arm drop from Danny’s shoulders.

“He’s good,” Kono conceded, slapping Chin’s hand, “but he’s got nothin’ on me.”

“You got that right,” Steve said earnestly. “Glad you’re on _my_ team.” He raised his bottle. “To Kono Kalakaua. Best damn shot with darts, or otherwise, on the island.”

“Hipa hipa,” Chin said with a grin, raising his bottle.

Danny’s mouth felt dry, and he didn’t add to the toast, simply smiled at Kono and clinked Steve’s bottle with his own.

Steve’s mouth curled into that goofy grin, and it made the knots in Danny’s stomach cinch a little bit tighter. For good or bad though, Danny still couldn’t tell.


	7. Waking Up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Danny and Grace sleep over at Steve's again.
> 
> Maybe they don't need to tell Grace anything after all...

The rest of the week went by and Danny fulfilled his promise, bringing Grace to Steve’s to stay again, but things had changed. Something had shifted.

Danny put Grace to bed. No thunderstorm, no chance of monkey needing to come cuddle in the middle of the night. And yet, Steve and Danny laid down in the same bed without coaxing or discussion.

They lay awake and talked about the day; talked about Gracie, and Steve maybe teaching her to start surfing. It was a discussion for parents, a discussion for a couple. Danny knew that, and he let the conversation continue anyway.

In the end they eventually drifted off talking to each other, mid-conversation, their heads turned toward each other on their pillows.

Danny felt warm, not too warm, but warmer than he was used to. And that sensation brought him up from sleep. He was sleeping on his side, an arm was draped over his middle, warm breath making the hairs on the back of his neck stand up in the best possible way. He could tell from the slow even breathing that Steve was still asleep, and yet that hand on Danny’s stomach moved back and forth in the most wonderful and comforting way.

There was no reason to wake Steve, Danny reasoned, no reason that they couldn’t wake up in the morning and pretend that it just happened when you were sleeping next to someone; in the same bed you ended up drawn to the person next to you. So, instead of waking Steve and interrupting both of their sleeps, Danny put his hand over Steve’s and snuggled back a little into the embrace. Steve’s arm tightened in his sleep, pulling Danny closer. Danny didn’t stop himself from thinking about how good it felt. Instead he closed his eyes and just enjoyed it.

Danny woke again when Steve stretched behind him, but instead of pushing Danny away, Steve pulled him closer. He groaned sleepily into Danny’s shoulder and opened his mouth to yawn wide, breathing hot against Danny’s skin. 

What did it mean that Danny wanted to stay there? That he didn’t want this to be a one-time “whoops?”

Knowing that Steve wouldn’t judge him, or run away, Danny pressed himself back into Steve’s chest.

Steve stopped still like a statue, cold and hard and unmoving. Danny didn’t even feel his breath, or his chest moving anymore.

“Danny?” Steve ventured, soft. “You awake?”

“Yes,” Danny said as firm as he could manage through what felt like a cotton ball in his throat. “For a while now.” He swallowed hard and pushed further back into Steve’s embrace until their bodies were flush, Steve’s chin on Danny’s shoulder.

Steve moaned and it was sexy and frustrated, and it made a thrill shoot through Danny’s body.

“Don’t do this,” Steve said. There was so much sadness in his voice as he rested his cheek on Danny’s. “Not if you’re not sure Danny.”

Of course Steve had wanted this. Danny was a detective and a great big giant idiot. Kono’s warning seemed way too obvious now. He’d thought she’d meant Danny would be hurt by it all; hurting Grace, and making her sad would take its toll on him. But that wasn’t what Kono had meant at all. She’d been talking about Steve getting hurt, and it was so obvious.

Danny pulled away from Steve who clutched at Danny’s t-shirt so desperately it made him want to cry. He flipped over in the bed so he was facing Steve.

“Steve I’m really sorry,” Danny said. And then immediately realized it probably sounded like a rejection to the guy laying in front of him who had been left or sent away by everyone that had ever been important to him. Before Steve could move away or say anything, Danny slipped an arm around his waist and pulled him closer while he talked. “I’m sorry about this whole stupid ‘dating for Grace’ situation. I never should have done this to you. But I think… the reason I went along with the whole stupid thing in the first place was because I wanted to be with you, but I didn’t know that's what I wanted.”

Steve’s face made so many emotional changes in those few sentences that Danny almost laughed, but held it back. Steve’s fingers twisted up Danny’s t-shirt, tightly grabbing fistfuls of cotton. He moved closer and put his forehead to Danny’s, closing his eyes.

“You ok, babe?” Danny asked.

When Steve pulled back he was wearing that perfect grin. The one Danny had noticed early on was reserved only for him.

“I’ve never been better in my whole life Danny,” Steve said. “Can I…” He glanced down at Danny’s lips the way he always did.

“For real this time?” Danny asked, feeling his own stupid grin crawl across his face.

“For real,” Steve said. He moved in unceremoniously. There was no soft slow approach, tentative meeting of lips. There was just Steve opening his mouth to Danny and inviting him in.

Their first kiss had been all show: chaste, just a peck on the lips really.

This was something different entirely. Danny opened his mouth and their tongues met. It was electricity that shot through every nerve ending in Danny’s body and made him feel alive in the way that only being shot at, and letting Steve drive pursuit did.

Danny immediately wrapped his arms around Steve and pulled their bodies together. God he wanted everything. Touch, feel, taste… everything.

Steve pulled back.

Danny opened his eyes. He felt dizzy. The world slowly came back into focus. Steve panted in front of him, out of breath, his hands still tangled in Danny’s t-shirt.

“Listen Danny, as much as I would love to…” Steve let the sentence trail off full of implication. “The house isn’t exactly empty and, as much as it is killing me to say this, I think we should wait.”

Danny rolled onto his back and closed his eyes trying to calm his body and centre himself. It didn’t work, he was surrounded by Steve; smell, taste still on his tongue, Steve’s hand still holding his shirt and resting on his stomach.

“Later,” Danny said. “Right now I think I need a cold shower.”

“That makes two of us,” Steve said, dropping a quick, firm kiss on Danny’s cheek.

“Separate cold showers,” Danny said with a smile and a peek out of narrowed eyes. Then he laughed and added: “And then I’ve gotta call Chin. Kono owes him fifty bucks.”


End file.
